We conducted a systematic review regarding the efficacy and outcome of endovascular treatment of infected iliofemoral arterial pseudoaneurysms with covered stents. 35 cases were identified, including 5 own. 22 pseudoaneurysms were located in the femoral area and 13 in the iliac vessels. The most commonly reported complaints were pulsatile groin mass (40 %), sepsis (37.1 %), active bleeding (31.4 %), and groin infection with purulent discharge (17.1 %). S. aureus (65.7 %) and Streptococcus species (22.9 %) were the most common microbes isolated...

Herbivory-induced changes in photosynthesis have been documented in many plant species, however the complexity of photosynthetic regulation and analysis has thwarted progress in understanding the mechanism involved, particularly those elicited by herbivore-specific elicitors. Here we analyzed the early photosynthetic gas-exchange responses in Nicotiana attenuata plants after wounding and elicitation with Manduca sexta oral-secretions, and the pathways regulating these responses. Elicitation with M. sexta oral-secretions rapidly decreased photosynthetic carbon-assimilation (AC ) in treated and systemic (untreated, vascularly connected) leaves, which were associated with changes in stomatal conductance, rather than with changes in Rubisco activity and RuBP-turnover...

BACKGROUND: In 2009, approximately 40 million people were 65 years or older. Majority of persons over the age of 65 have at least one chronic medical condition. In 2002-2003, the most frequently occurring conditions among older adults were hypertension (51%), arthritis (48%), heart disease (31%), cancer of any type (21%), and diabetes (16%). The cost of diabetes care, both direct and indirect, was $245 billion in 2012. Fifty-nine percent of the direct medical cost was for the population aged 65 and over...

The histopathological features of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) and superficial temporal artery (STA) from moyamoya disease (MMD) and their relationships with gender, age, angiography stage were explored. The causes and the clinical significance of vasculopathy of STA were also discussed. The clinical data and specimens of MCA and STA from 30 MMD patients were collected. Twelve samples of MCA and STA from non-MMD patients served as control group. Histopathological examination was then performed by measuring the thickness of intima and media, and statistical analysis was conducted...

OBJECTIVE: To determine the application, success and complications of the utilization of free vascularized fibular grafts (FVFG) in the reconstruction of lower limb defects after resection of primary lower limb musculoskeletal tumors. METHODOLOGY: This descriptive retrospective case series analysis was conducted at Shifa International Hospital from January 2011 to January 2016. It included patients who had premalignant and malignant conditions of the lower limb and subsequently had the lesion resected followed by FVFG surgery...

We investigate the impact of microvascular geometry on the transport of drugs in solid tumors, focusing on the diffusion and consumption phenomena. We embrace recent advances in the asymptotic homogenization literature starting from a double Darcy, double advection-diffusion-reaction system of partial differential equations that is obtained exploiting the sharp length separation between the intercapillary distance and the average tumor size. The geometric information on the microvascular network is encoded into effective hydraulic conductivities and diffusivities, which are numerically computed by solving periodic cell problems on appropriate microscale representative cells...

BACKGROUND: Blood pressure rises with a drop in external temperature, but the role of DNA methylation in such blood pressure modulation has not been studied in detail. We evaluated blood pressure and DNA methylation of vascular disease-related genes in association with low temperature. METHODS: To examine changes in blood pressure and DNA methylation associated with low temperature, we conducted repeated measures analysis among 50 participants over 3 repeated visits, and validated the association among another 52 participants...

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous blood flow plays an important role in the thermoregulation, oxygen supply, and nutritional support necessary to maintain the skin. However, there is little evidence for a link between blood flow and skin physiology. Therefore, we conducted surveys of healthy volunteers to determine the relationship(s) between dry skin properties and cutaneous vascular function. METHODS: Water content of the stratum corneum, transepidermal water loss, and visual dryness score were investigated as dry skin parameters...

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of incidental findings found on magnetic resonance imaging scans of the internal auditory meatus performed to investigate audiovestibular symptoms, and to determine how to best manage these when found. METHOD: A retrospective review was conducted of internal auditory meatus magnetic resonance imaging scans during a three-month period in the radiology department at a UK district general hospital. RESULTS: A total of 109 scans were reviewed...

OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the relationship between the cerebral microinfarcts and dementia. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analyses using the MEDLINE, EMBASE，the Cochrane library, and BIOSIS preview for studies published in the period from 1 January 1997 to 1 April 2014. We also searched the reference lists of relevant studies and review articles. Studies had to be controlled, with participants divided into a dementia group and a control group...

OBJECTIVE: The relationship between overweightness, obesity and arterial stiffness remains unclear. We performed a meta-analysis evaluating the impact of obesity/overweightness on arterial stiffness in healthy subjects. METHODS: Literature searches were conducted using databases (eg, MEDLINE, EMBASE) and citations cross-referenced. Studies evaluating the relationship between obesity/overweightness and cfPWV, baPWV, and AIx were systematically searched. A total of 10 studies (1,124 obese/overweight subjects, 1,884 controls) were included...

OBJECTIVE: Squalor affects 1 in 1000 older people and is regarded as a secondary condition to other primary disorders such as dementia, intellectual impairment and alcohol abuse. Squalor frequently is associated with hoarding behaviour. We compared the neuropsychological profile of people living in squalor associated with hoarding to those presenting with squalor only. METHODS: This study is a retrospective case series of hospital inpatient and community healthcare services of 69 people living in squalor (49 from aged care, 16 from aged psychiatry, 3 from acute medical and 1 from a memory clinic)...

Aberrant activation of Wnt and base excision repair (BER) signaling pathways are implicated in tumor progression and chemotherapy resistance in gastric adenocarcinoma. This study was conducted to clarify the role of E2F6 and RhoA, components of the Wnt signaling pathway, and SMUG1, a component of the BER pathway in gastric adenocarcinoma. Expression levels and clinicopathological significance of three biomarkers, namely E2F6, RhoA, and SMUG1, as potential signaling molecules involved in tumorigenesis and aggressive behavior, were examined using tissue microarray...

The effects of industrial air pollution on human health have not been as thoroughly investigated as those of urban air pollution which originates mostly from automotive transport. To better assess the health impacts of point sources of industrial air pollution, a randomized crossover exposure study was conducted. Sixty one young and healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to spend five consecutive eight-hour days near a steel mill or at a location five kilometres away. After a nine or sixteen-day washout period, volunteers spent another five consecutive days at the second site...

Heart failure (HF) patients appear to exhibit impaired thermoregulatory capacity during passive heating, as evidenced by diminished vascular conductance. Although some preliminary studies have described the thermoregulatory response to passive heating in HF, responses during exercise in the heat remain to be described. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare thermoregulatory responses in HF and controls (CON) during exercise in the heat. Ten HF (NYHA classes I-II) and eight CON were included. Core temperature (Tc), skin temperature (Tsk), and cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC) were assessed at rest and during 1 h of exercise at 60% of maximal oxygen uptake...

BACKGROUND: Although the specialty of cardiothoracic surgery has been practiced in Nigeria for many years, open heart surgery (OHS) has only in the last decade become relatively more frequent, mainly through visiting foreign cardiac surgical teams. At this early phase of development it is faced with multiple challenges, especially financing and local skilled manpower for which solutions have to be identified in order to ensure sustainability and future growth. This study is aimed at highlighting these obstacles to growth of cardiothoracic surgery based on our own institutional experience at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) and the current status of OHS activity in other cardiothoracic centers in Nigeria...

Interrelations between cytokines, produced by invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) and fibroadenoma (FA) of the breast, and angiogenic growth factor VEGF-A, expressed in IDC and FA, were investigated. The analysis of the cytokine profiles of IDC and FA was performed by cultivation of tumor biopsy specimens in vitro. Testing of the cytokine-producing reserve of the tumors for production of VEGF-A was conducted by culturing samples of IDC and FA in a medium containing polyclonal activator (a complex of phytohemagglutinin, concanavalin A, and lipopolysaccharide)...

BACKGROUND: The use of a prophylactic antibiotic in an amputation surgery is a key element for the successful recovery of the patient. We aim to determine, from the perspective of the Colombian health system, the cost-effectiveness of administering a prophylactic antibiotic among patients undergoing lower limb amputation due to diabetes or vascular illness in Colombia. METHODS: A decision tree was constructed to compare the use and non-use of a prophylactic antibiotic...